10 Sharks You Won’t Believe Actually Exist

Cetorhinus maximus took second place at the ‘Largest living fish in the sea world’ competition, measuring up to 36 feet! This peculiar looking, slow- moving shark can be found “basking” in the sun at the water surface of warm temperate oceans. Basking sharks swim with their mouths open because they are filter- feeding type of sharks. That way they passively filter the water, catching prey like zooplankton and small fish. Sharks are known to be loners, but basking sharks are actually quite sociable animals that form groups of up to 100 members. Talking about squad goals.

#9 Indonesian speckled carpetshark (Hemiscyllium freycineti)

The Indonesian speckled carpetshark belongs to the bamboo family of sharks which are commonly found in the Indonesian coastal area. The very distinguishable leopard- looking patterns are not the only thing that makes carpetsharks unique. The saying ‘sharks must constantly swim or they will die’ is actually not true when it comes to carpetsharks. This type of sharks uses their pectoral fins to ‘walk’ on the seabed rather than swim. They are nocturnal, which means they hide during daytime and feed on shrimps and crabs at night.#8 Pyjama Shark

The Pyjama shark known as Poroderma africanum in the marine biology world, is a catshark, member of the catfish family that populates the South African coast. This sluggish, small shark has seven distinct dark stripes that cover its pale body, making it unmistakable. Pyjama sharks spend their daytime resting and hiding from other shark species. When they feel really threatened they roll up and hide their heads, hoping to get unnoticed. They breed once a year, by dropping two egg sacs that hatch 6 months later. Pyjama sharks are nocturnal creatures that are completely harmless to people.

#7 Angel Shark (Squatina squatina)

We never would have guessed that what looks like an oversized ray is actually a shark. With their large, flat bodies and big pectoral fins angel sharks look nothing like a member of its own species. Their unusual shape actually helps them to camouflage and get lunch every day. They hide under the sand and use their sensory organs to detect prey. When the prey comes close, this ambush predator shoots out of the hiding spot and catches its lunch. Angel sharks prefer the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean where they live solitary life. They mate during spring. Females hatch the eggs inside of their body and after 8- 10 months they deliver 8- 13 babies that can live for more than 30 years.

#6 Caribbean Roughshark

This frightening species of shark is so rare that literally nothing is known about its social life, behavior and breeding patterns. As the name suggest, Oxynotus caribbaeus lives in the Caribbean Sea, mainly in the waters off of Honduras and the Bahamas. Most likely it remains near the seafloor in deep waters where it feeds of invertebrates and small fish. Like other members of the Angular Roughshark family, the Caribbean Roughshark has unusually large fins for its chubby body covered with rough, greyish skin and spear-like and blade- like teeth that you definitely don’t want to feel on your skin.#5 Dwarf Lanternshark

Sharks put fear into people. Mostly because they are dangerous human- eating predators. But, if there is one shark species that is almost adorable and not scary at all- that’s the Dwarf Lanternshark. Meet the world’s smallest shark, so small that can actually fit on your hand. And if that’s not good reason to like this dogfish, wait until you hear that it can actually glow. Of course, bioluminescence is not for esthetic reasons, but to attract pray. The Dwarf Lanternshark can be found off the coast of Venezuela and Columbia.#4 Australian Ghost Shark (Callorhinchus milii)

The Australian Ghost Shark known also as the Elephant Shark is easy to recognize because of its snout- like trunk. It can be found off the coast of Australia and New Zealand. It has elongated body and shiny silvery white skin with a very sharp spine that is considered to be venomous. Ghost sharks feed on mollusks and shellfish. They mate in spring when adults migrate to bays to lay their eggs on sandy substrates. Females mature later than males and are usually bigger than them. The average lifespan of this marine fish is 15 years.

#3 Frilled Shark

Chlamydoselachus anguineus- that’s a hell of a hard- to- pronounce name for an odd looking shark than looks straight out of the Natural History museum. The truth is that the Frilled Shark is indeed a prehistoric shark that haven’t evolved much in the last 500 million years hence the ‘extinct animal look’. This living fossil is found in most of the Earth’s oceans but usually lives in Japan at depths of 1, 500 meters in the sea. Its snake like body can reach a length of four meters. Frilled sharks have strong flexible jaws and over 300 sharp teeth to devour other sharks and octopuses.

#2 Angular Roughshark

By now you’ve probably got an idea about how great shark’s diversity truly is. Yet, this mysterious, bizarre looking shark species manages to surprise us with its unusually big fins and rough scales known as denticles that cover its entire body. Their diet consists of worms and mollusks. Oxynotus centrina is truly a rare and vulnerable species that you can catch a glimpse of in the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic.#1 Goblin Shark (Mitsukurina owstoni)

At first glance, Goblin sharks look pretty much like the common shark. When they go for a bite all that changes and they become a real deep- sea monsters with their protruding jaws that can extend to catch the prey similar to the way humans stick their tongue out. Although, Goblin sharks have been observed in parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean, they are extremely rare. They are also called Vampire Sharks due to their sensitivity to sunlight.